Since the cultural revolution of the 1960s, Western society has become more open and tolerant to ideas that challenge traditional concepts. One forum for the expression of change that confronts tradition is fashion. For instance, the casualization of the work place has brought with it a decline to the formality previously associated with dress suits, jackets and ties that have been a staple to the corporate world for over a century.
Another such example of liberalism in fashion is the evident increase in outfits that increasingly display previously hidden portions of the body through the tailored reduction of material. The development of the bikini from the bathing suit is one such example of this design concept. Miniskirts and short dresses are another. Overall, fashions that reveal and emphasize the body and its natural curves and characteristics are extremely popular. Both men and women find attire that exposes or accentuates the body to be very appealing.
A more current trend in style is an increased exposure of the torso, hips and abdominal area of the body. In the context of pants, jeans, shorts, skirts, and other apparel, the waistlines on these articles have been recently lowered to reveal more by cutting excess material to reduce the size of the article of clothing. For instance, designers, manufacturers and distributors in the jeans industry, make ‘low-rise’ and ‘extra low-rise’ jeans for women with many variations in color, preparation and degree of tightness in the leg and seat area. However, due to the highly varying shapes and sizes of women and differences in the manufacturing process, finding the right fit for any individual is difficult. Some jeans may rest lower or higher on the waist than others and hence reveal more or less midriff than desired. In short, the right cut is hard to find.
Even if an appropriate cut can be found, a lack of adjustability due to nature of the cut limits usefulness. For example, while a greater degree of body exposure may be desired at certain times during the day, more coverage at other times might be desired. This cannot be accomplished by material reduction without having several outfits. Thus, a reduction of material on more traditional articles of clothing is not a sufficiently dynamic solution.
The solution of simply wearing pushed down clothing cannot effectively address these issues. Since these articles are not designed to be worn in this manner, the approach tends to be uncomfortable for the wearer. Moreover, the clothing will inevitably return to its natural position during movement.
In sum, current articles of clothing lack a dynamic design to provide for comfort, support, style and fit to satisfy the contemporary desire for adjustably revealing apparel.